Murray Cod (2023)
Maccullochella peelii
Date Published: June 2023
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Summary
Murray Cod is the largest solely freshwater fish in Australia. It occurs throughout most of the Murray–Darling system. Commercial fishing for this species is currently prohibited in the Murray–Darling Basin but recreational fishing is popular and widespread. Murray Cod is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth) but a recent International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List assessment found the species to be no longer threatened and listed it as a species of least concern [Gilligan et al. 2019]. Stock status is depleted in the ACT, NSW and SA, undefined in NSW and QLD, and recovering in VIC. A national recovery plan has been developed for this species [National Murray Cod Recovery Team 2010a 2010b] delivered through a cross-jurisdictional Murray Cod Fishery Management Group.
Stock Status Overview
Jurisdiction | Stock | Stock status | Indicators |
---|---|---|---|
South Australia | South Australia | Depleted | Historical fishery catch, fishery-independent surveys |
Stock Structure
Murray Cod is the largest solely freshwater fish in Australia, occurring throughout most of the Murray–Darling system, except for the upper reaches of some tributaries in Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and southern New South Wales. Throughout most of its distribution in the Murray–Darling Basin there is one large genetically panmictic biological stock [Rourke et al. 2011]. However, genetically distinct populations have been identified in the more isolated Lachlan, Macquarie and Gwydir catchments [Rourke et al. 2011]. This separation appears to be the result of restricted gene flow due to the isolated nature of these catchments [Rourke et al. 2011]. There are differences in available information, environmental conditions and management arrangements and objectives across the species’ distribution in various jurisdictions. Further, genetic homogeneity could be a result of low levels of genetic interchange between functionally discrete stocks, and thus it may not be the best approach for stock discrimination to inform management.
Here, assessment of stock status is presented at the jurisdictional level—Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.
Stock Status
South Australia
In South Australia, previous stock assessments in the Murray River and Lower Lakes noted a significant decline in annual commercial landings from 140 t in the late-1950s, to less than 10 t in the 1970s–80s [Ye et al. 2000; Ye and Zampatti 2007]. Following a moratorium on commercial and recreational fishing from January 1990–December 1993, combined with high flows in the early-1990s, annual catch increased gradually to 28.5 t in 2001–02. The Murray Cod commercial fishery ceased in the South Australian Murray River in July 2003 following restructuring of inland native fisheries. Although Murray Cod was still a ‘permitted species’ to be taken in the commercial Lakes and Coorong Fishery, there was a temporary closure (implemented between 2010 and 2021 under the Fisheries Management Act 2007 [South Australia]) that prohibits commercial harvest. Since 2021, the closure has been transferred to the Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2017. Unlike other states/jurisdictions, Murray Cod had not historically been stocked in the South Australian reaches of the Murray River [Gillanders and Ye 2011]. From 2016 to 2022, however, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions and RecFish South Australia, released approximately 300,000 fingerlings across the South Australian reaches of the Murray River.
Murray Cod is a popular recreational fish species in South Australian inland waters. The 2007–08 South Australian Recreational Fishing Survey estimated that 507 Murray Cod (around 2.1 t) were harvested from the lower Murray River [Jones 2009]. No Murray Cod were reported as caught in the Lower Lakes region. There was little change in the total number of fish caught from a 2000–01 survey [Henry and Lyle 2003], but release rates increased from 48% in 2000–01 to 73% in 2007–08 [Jones 2009], potentially reducing recreational fishing mortality. The 2007–08 figures should only be considered indicative because the precision levels of all estimates were low as a result of low numbers of participants reporting Murray Cod catch, as well as low numbers of Murray Cod harvested. There was a moratorium on recreational fishing for Murray Cod in South Australia in 2009 and 2010. Since 2011, a catch-and-release fishery has been permitted for this species in the South Australian Murray River except for an annual spawning season closure (August–December), and a year-round closure in Chowilla. No catch was reported for this species in the 2013–14 recreational fishing survey [Giri and Hall 2015]. The most recent South Australian Recreational Fishing Survey in 2021–22 [Beckman et al. 2023] estimated that 2,435 Murray Cod were caught in South Australia, with 74% of the catch from the lower Murray River.
In the absence of a commercial fishery, or dedicated fishery-independent monitoring programs, the primary measures for biomass and fishing mortality are total catch and catch per unit effort (CPUE) from several long-term (8–18 year) fish assemblage monitoring projects in the lower Murray River from 2002 to 2023 [Zampatti et al. 2014; Fredberg et al. in prep., Ye et al. 2023]. From 2002 to 2013 [Zampatti et al. 2014], CPUE data from electrofishing and drum netting indicated that relative abundance was low. Length-frequency distributions indicated that fish collected in main channel habitats of the lower Murray River were predominantly large (more than 800 mm total length) and represented a broad range of age classes (8–46 years). Across the Millennium drought period of 2001 to 2010, Murray Cod recruitment was minimal in the predominantly still-water main channel habitats, although recruitment did occur in the flowing water habitats of the Chowilla anabranch system [Zampatti et al. 2014]. In subsequent years, following increases in river flow (e. g. 2010–11 and 2011–12), some juvenile fish (less than 500 mm total length) were collected in main channel habitats [Zampatti et al. 2014]. From 2014 to 2022, annual recruitment was detected in the main channel of the lower Murray River and Chowilla, in particular during 2019–20, and these cohorts have persisted in the population during subsequent years [Ye et al. 2023]. Electrofishing CPUE data from 2014 to 2023 indicate similar, albeit slightly increased, abundances of Murray Cod across the lower Murray River, relative to 2002 to 2013, reflecting some recent recruitment [Fredberg et al. in prep; Ye et al. 2023]. Overall, the data provide an indication of a stable adult population, and periodic successful recruitment, but no evidence of increases in abundance towards historical levels (i.e. prior to the mid-1960s).
The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is depleted and that recruitment is likely to be impaired. Current fishing mortality has been reduced by management to a level that should allow the stock to recover with river flow and habitat rehabilitation; however, measurable improvements are yet to be detected.
On the basis of the evidence provided above, Murray Cod in South Australia is classified as a depleted stock.
Biology
Murray Cod biology: Information on Murray Cod longevity and size and age at maturity is provided in the Biology Table below [Whitley 1955; Pollard 1966; Lake 1967; Rowland 1985; Anderson et al. 1992; Gooley et al. 1995; Rowland 1998a; King et al. 2009; Koehn et al. 2020; Butler et al. unpublished data].
Additional summary points on Murray Cod biology and ecology are:
• Murray Cod are a demersal species [Koehn 2009a] that prefer the main channel of rivers, flowing anabranches and creeks [Humphries et al. 1999; King 2004; Koehn 2009b; Leigh and Zampatti 2013], within which both juveniles and adults have an affinity for hydraulically diverse lotic (i.e. flowing) habitats with abundant physical habitat cover, particularly large woody debris [Boys and Thomas 2006; Jones and Stuart 2007; Koehn 2009b; Koehn and Nicol 2013]. Habitat alteration, such as removal of snags from the main channel and anabranches, and loss of fast-flowing water habitats due to river regulation, water extraction or drought will decrease habitat availability and likely have negative impacts on Murray Cod populations.
• Murray Cod spawn in spring at water temperatures > 15°C, with adhesive eggs laid in a nest that is guarded until the larvae leave and drift in the water column [Rowland 1998b; Humphries 2005; Koehn and Harrington 2005, 2006; Koehn et al. 2020].
• Enhanced recruitment of Murray Cod in lowland areas has been linked to increased river flow or flooding [King et al. 2009; Ye and Zampatti 2007]. The exact mechanism driving recruitment is unknown, but it is likely to be linked to flowing water environments [Zampatti et al. 2014] and potentially an increase in food resources for larvae and juveniles following high river flows and floodplain inundation [King et al. 2009].
• In lowland rivers, adult Murray Cod can undertake small- to large-scale movements (up to 120 km) from their home sites within the main river channel and anabranches, and between these habitats [Koehn et al. 2009; Leigh and Zampatti 2013; Koehn and Nicol 2016]. Lateral and longitudinal disconnection (for example, by structures or reduced flow) will alter the movement patterns of the species [Carpenter-Bundoo et al. 2020]. In upland rivers, movements are likely to be limited by natural barriers such as gorges and waterfalls.
• Cold-water pollution, due to low-level releases from dams, can limit spawning and egg and larval survival [Todd et al. 2005; Sherman et al. 2007], affect juvenile growth rates [Whiterod et al. 2018], adult movement behaviour and survival of juvenile fish [Tonkin et al. 2020], and has been deemed responsible for the loss of Murray Cod populations downstream of a number of major impoundments [Lugg and Copeland 2014].
• Anoxic blackwater events in lowland environments that may occur as a result of flooding after prolonged periods of low flow, and other poor water quality events such as the 2019 fish kills in the lower Darling River, can result in considerable mortality of Murray Cod [Koehn 2005; King et al. 2012; Leigh and Zampatti 2013; Thiem et al. 2017; Vertessy et al. 2019].
Species | Longevity / Maximum Size | Maturity (50 per cent) |
---|---|---|
Murray Cod | At least 48 years, approximately 1,800 mm TL , 113 kg |
First maturity at approximately 4–6 years, 400–600 mm TL for both sexes. Variable across geographic regions. |
Tables
South Australia | |
---|---|
Commercial | |
Unspecified | |
Indigenous | |
Hook and Line | |
Traditional apparatus | |
Recreational | |
Hook and Line |
Method | South Australia |
---|---|
Indigenous | |
Customary fishing management arrangements | |
Recreational | |
Area closures | |
Possession restrictions | |
Seasonal closures |
South Australia | |
---|---|
Indigenous | Unknown |
Recreational | Unknown |
Commercial (Management Methods). Murray Cod captured by the Lakes and Coorong Fishery are currently protected under South Australian fishing regulations.
Indigenous (Management Methods). Indigenous fishers who can satisfy the requirements of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) in relation to their connection to the specific area or waters may take sufficient Murray Cod to satisfy their customary, non-commercial domestic needs in South Australia and Queensland. Indigenous fishers who do not satisfy these requirements are subject to the standard recreational bag limits, size limits and closures.
Queensland – Indigenous (Management Methods). For more information see: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/traditional-fishing
Victoria – Indigenous Fishing. A person who identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is exempt from the need to obtain a Victorian recreational fishing licence, provided they comply with all other rules that apply to recreational fishers, including rules on equipment, catch limits, size limits and restricted areas. Traditional (non-commercial) fishing activities that are carried out by members of a traditional owner group entity under an agreement pursuant to Victoria’s Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 are also exempt from the need to hold a recreational fishing licence, subject to any conditions outlined in the agreement. Native title holders are also exempt from the need to obtain a recreational fishing licence under the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Native Title Act 1993.
South Australia and Australian Capital Territory - (Management Methods). Catch and release zones exist for Murray Cod in these jurisdictions. Murray Cod can be targeted and caught but not possessed or retained in these zones. Seasonal closures may also apply.
References
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